Broken Angel
by NightmarePrince
Summary: Some Horcruxes had eluded them, and in that time Hogwarts had fallen. The Order was broken, forced to live in small safe houses around England whilst others lived on the run. 5 years after the Battle Of Hogwarts was lost Hermione, presumed dead since the war, shows up at Grimmauld Place, with 2 platinum blonde children and a Horcrux. Prequel to Avenging Angel. (Now a Multi-Chap)
1. Chapter 1

_Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. _

_Broken Angel_

_A/N )This is the Prequel to Avenging Angel_

Ginny Potter tiredly got to her feet, moving slowly so as not to wake her oldest son. She frowned quietly to herself; it had taken her a while to get James to sleep . . . he had been having nightmares for a month now. Ever since the last raid, when he had seen the Order return from their mission he had been traumatised. She didn't blame him, she often woke up with night-terrors as well and James was after all, only seven. Closing her eyes she could still picture that terrifying day so vividly in her mind.

_The fireplace erupted into emerald flames as Harry and Ron floo'ed into Grimmauld Place. Ginny looked up from the storybook she had been reading out loud to her eldest son. Her face morphed into a mask of pure horror, hurriedly she moved to try and shield James' eyes with her hand. Normally she would have been overjoyed to see her husband and brother return from a mission, but this was not a sight she wanted her child to be subjected to. Hell it wasn't something she wanted to have seen. Harry could barely stand on his own, his clothing drenched with congealing blood. He was leaning heavily on Ron, whose free arm hung limply at his side, the bone sticking out of a tear in his skin near the elbow. She had been thankful that Albus and Lily were asleep for the night . . . but James, even now, months later her little boy was scarred by what he saw._

Ginny sighed quietly to herself as she left the room, pausing only long enough to make sure than Albus was also fast asleep. He had his own room but had recently moved into his brother's room in the naive, childish hope that he could help his big brother sleep. She shook her head wanly as she peeked into the next room, the tangle of red hair telling her that Lily was also out for the night, sleeping peacefully.

She wished that she could still have the joy of a peaceful sleep.

She often wondered if it had been worth it, bringing them into a world torn by war, a world where they would have to live in hiding all their lives. Not that she regretted having them, she loved her children more than life itself and would die for them in a heartbeat but this was never the life she had wanted for her family.

The house was silent, everyone was already asleep. Quietly, she went to the kitchens and made herself a mug of coffee while she mused on when exactly it has been that her world had gone to hell.

Harry had done all he could to find and destroy the Horcruxes but the only one that he had ever found and destroyed had been that foul locket. He had already seen to the diary back when he was in his second year and Dumbledore had destroyed Marvolo Gaunt's ring but the remaining three had proved too elusive for the Golden Trio to find and destroy. For two years, Ginny knew that Harry, Ron and Hermione had been on the run seeking out the others fragments of his soul, trying to save their world while she completed her sixth year of Hogwarts. She had never returned for her seventh, having fallen pregnant with James' when the Trio had returned to the Burrow for weekend to recuperate. When Hogwarts fell near the end of what would have been her seventh year, she had left her son home with Andromeda and fought alongside her brothers, parents and husband. And then when the Battle was lost, she had fled alongside the other surviving Order members. The final battle had been a last stand of sorts and when they lost the castle, they also lost hope. So many people had fallen in that last battle: Fred, Minerva, Tonks, Remus . . . Hermione. Ron had never been the same after Hermione disappeared. Ginny knew that her body had never been found but that wasn't new, dozens of bodies had never dredged up after Voldemort took Hogwarts. Like as not her former best friend was lying in an unmarked grave somewhere in the Forbidden Forest.

They had gotten married soon after, in Grimmauld Place, a laughable ceremony officiated by Kingsley Shacklebolt and witnessed by a few members of the Order. Over the years she had given birth to three beautiful children as she ran one of the few remaining Order safe-houses. She never got used to it, never got used to the anxiety that clawed at her heart every time her family left on a mission. She never got used to the feeling that this may be the last time she may ever see them alive.

Grimmauld Place had been made more homely over the years, especially after she had used a few well placed _incendio_ charms coupled with a few _reducto _curses to remove some of the former decor. Sirius' mother may have had her portrait charmed with a permanent sticking spell, but it burned to ashes quickly enough. The wards and protective enchantments on the house were more powerful than ever before, she had personally seen to it that her family would be safe. Ron and Harry had cast a few themselves as had Andromeda Tonks, who also resided in the Blacks ancestral home, though she was planning on leaving the country soon. Ginny wondered if she would take Teddy with her, she doubted the boy would go of his own free will. He was bonded to closely to his god-siblings to do any such thing. Her family were often around as well, those that were still alive at any rate.

Ginny was stirred from her thoughts as she felt one of her outer wards being tripped. Drawing her wand, she slowly made her way to the front room. It was strange, somebody had managed to circumvent the outer wards and the fidelius charm . . . they had obviously been here before. Despite that however, they couldn't pass the newer defences which ruled out most of the Order. Hearing a sound behind her she spun around only to see her husband pressing a finger to her lips, an obvious reminder to be silent. Wands outstretched, the couple strode into the front room to investigate . . . and to defend their children if need be.

The sight before them stunned them both, shaking them to their core. Standing before them was a witch holding onto two children. The woman looked worn, her long flowing skirt ripped and torn as blood blossomed across her pale blouse. Her left hand clutched the hand of a young boy who looked to be the same age as Albus. In her right arm she carried a younger child, a girl of perhaps two. She held her wand shakily in her right hand as the girl clung to her, platinum blonde ringlets nestled into her brunette curls. She stumbled slightly, almost falling to the ground.

Ginny stood in silence as Harry froze, tears glimmered in her eyes . . . they never had found her body.

The woman stepped forward again but was once again repelled by the wards. Overcoming her shock, Ginny spoke to her best friend for the first time in six years, not dropping her wand though. This was obviously a trick, Hermione Granger was dead . . . but she had to be sure before she blasted this witch to smithereens.

"Cast a Patronus," Ginny said in an even voice.

"My patronus isn't an otter anymore," responded the witch. "But in any case Gin, the last words I ever spoke to you were _Take care of my brothers_."

Harry twitched beside his wife as those words sank in, the realisation taking hold as he saw the dawning wonder on Ginny's face.

"I, Ginny Potter, allow you entry into my home," she said softly.

The brunette witch smiled gratefully as she led the children into the home before turning to the Potters.

"It's good to see you both," said Hermione in a voice thick with emotion.

"I know you both have questions and I'll answer them, but do you have a spare room anywhere. Scorp and Cassie are exhausted," she continued when neither of her old friends responded.

"We ok mommy," murmured the girl, Cassie, obviously fighting exhaustion to stay awake as Scorp just tightened his grip on her hand. The sight of tired children snapped Ginny into instant mum mode as she led her friend up to one of the many spare rooms in the large house, Harry close behind.

Despite their protests both children were soon fast asleep as Hermione walked down to the living room. She felt herself being pulled into an embrace as soon as the three of them had come down the stairs. Crying silently, she wrapped her arms around Harry and Ginny. When they finally broke apart, Ginny led them to the kitchen and presented them all with steaming cups of tea.

"Hermione . . . how. . . how are you even alive?" asked Harry, his eyes shining wetly as he took in the sight of his best friend, a woman he had thought dead for six years.

"That's a long story Harry. One that I do not have the time to tell," Hermione responded quietly moving her hand across the table as she reached for her mug, causing her sleeve to be pushed slightly up her arm.

"Hermione . . . what is that on your arm?" said Ginny, her voice suddenly cold.

"What are you talking about Gin?" asked Harry as his gaze dropped to Hermione's bared wrist. His face hardened as he drew his wand.

"It isn't what it looks like," Hermione said swiftly.

"It looks like you're a bleeding death eater," said Harry grimly.

"I am not a death eater!"

"Then why do have the dark mark?" Ginny butted in pointedly, noting the anger and frustration in Hermione's voice.

"I can explain."

"Go ahead then, explain how you sold us out."

"I took the mark to protect my family," that sentence alone caused the angry looks to disappear from her friends faces, even if they didn't lower their wands, "The Dark Lord found us after the battle, I don't know how he tracked us down but when he did . . . he said that the dark side needed witches like me, he said he was willing to forgive my birth if I would join him. I refused of course, but the Dark Lord is most persuasive. I was already pregnant, when he threatened Scorpius and my husband . . . I couldn't let him hurt my boys Gin. I became a death eater, I killed in his name, tortured people for his amusement . . . it was the only way to keep my family safe." Her voice had become devoid of life and feeling, her eyes were haunted.

"Then why did show up now?" asked Harry bitterly, "It seems you've been living the life whilst we've been skulking around in the shadows."

"What would you do Harry, if it were Ginny who was being held against you? You have a son right? What wouldn't you do to save him when he was being threatened with the cruciatus curse?" asked Hermione pointedly.

"I . . ." he paused, cursing at her logic. She was always the cleverest and she had him, he would have killed every muggle in Britain if it meant his family with stay safe.

"Who's their father?" asked Ginny as she took her friends hand comfortingly.

"Draco," said Hermione before breaking down in tears, "He stayed behind to hold off the other death eaters so I could get the kids out of there." Suddenly she straightened, blinking her tears away in anger as she glared at the appalled look on Harry's face and the knowing look on Ginny's.

"You shacked up with that slimy git Malfoy?" Harry all but yelled.

"I am not going to say I'm sorry Harry," she said, biting back her rage at his prejudice, "Because I love him more than life itself."

"No wonder you joined the death eaters," he snapped, "You married one."

It was the wrong thing to say, and Hermione rose to her feet in anger.

"My husband just gave his life so that I could our children to safety, so that I could get here with this," she snapped, reaching into her pocket and then flinging a golden goblet onto the table.

"Narcissa and Draco both gave their lives so that this Horcrux would be delivered to you and destroyed, my children will grow up orphans because of our sacrifice and you have the nerve-" she fell silent, shaking with anger.

"What do you mean orphans?" asked Ginny, her face furrowed in confusion. The children may have lost their father and grandmother but their mother was right here sitting across the table from them.

Struggling to keep her anger at a minimal level she turned to the Potters, who were surprised to see the pleading look behind the rage in her eyes.

"I can't stay," she said quietly, drawing up her sleeve fully. Harry and Ginny drew sharp breaths as they saw the runes carved into her flesh, several of which were still weeping blood whilst several had already burned into her skin.

"The Dark Lord will be able to apparate instantly to my location and no wards will keep him out. The only that is thing holding him back are these runes and their power is fading." She winced as another rune turned black and scorched into her skin as its magic died.

"No . . ." muttered Harry, he was going to lose his best friend all over again.

"Harry . . . Ginny, I need one promise."

"Anything Hermione," said Harry surprising her when his voice broke, thick with emotion.

"Promise me that you will keep Cassandra and Scorpius safe. There is nobody I would trust more to look after them."

"I'll raise them like they're my own," said Ginny quietly as tears threatened to trickle down her face again.

"You don't even have to ask Hermione," said Harry, reaching out to take her hand reassuringly.

"Thank you," she said before quietly drawing her wand and giving it to Harry, "Give this to Scorp when he comes of age . . ." she drew a second wand from her sleeve, "this one is for Cassie. It belonged to Narcissa."

They were standing in the entrance hall as Harry nodded to her, not trusting himself to speak.

"Tell them that I love them," said Hermione quietly, "I would tell them myself but I don't trust myself to go to them . . . If I do I would lose the will to leave."

"I'll tell them," said Ginny as she bit back a sob.

"Where are you going to go Hermione?" asked Harry as he saw two more runes blacken and burn.

"To see my husband," she said quietly before apparating away with a crack.


	2. Chapter 2

**Broken Angel**

**Chapter Two**

**Five Years Ago**

Hermione whirled, her brunette tresses whipping around her as she deflected the killing curse, her jet of searing red light meeting the green and sending them rebounding across the room. She slashed her wand through the air, ignoring the burning pain in her hip where she had been hit by a _diffindo_ charm as she slammed her opponent with a knockback jinx. The Death Eater flew backwards before crashing through the window in a rain of broken glass and metal, falling to what was no doubt his death several feet below.

Her hands were stained red, red with blood she had not shed but had instead seeped into her skin whilst she cradled her dying mentor. Minerva had gone down in treachery and deceit, stabbed through the throat by The Betrayer. Hermione had held her teacher as she died, choking on her own blood whilst Ron and Harry tore after the murderous bastard. In truth, perhaps they should have seen it coming, for no man would dare take on Minerva Mcgonagall head on in a duel.

It was a lesson to never again trust a Slytherin . . . except perhaps for _her Slytherin Prince_, who she would trust with her life.

"Bombarda Maxima," she yelled, leaning over the balustrade as she let fly her blasting curse. It was with a sick delight that she saw one of the stairways explode in a shower of stone and wood, sending a squadron of death eaters plummeting to the ground with a series of thick cracks. She did not delight in their murder; she revelled in that by killing them she had saved the lives of those they had been going after. In this case it was a duo of Ravenclaw fifth years, underage but still brave – or stupid – enough to stand and fight what Hermione had known from the start was a losing battle.

She had lost Ron and Harry early on when the fighting became thick, when both boys had gone after the death eater who had killed Fred Weasley. She warned them to remain, tried to convince them that the only chance of success they had was to find and destroy the horcrux but the bloodlust was upon them. Little had they known that the curse that had killed one half of the Weasley twins had been cast by Bellatrix Lestrange – thankfully they had not been fool enough to go after her.

"Hermione! Get down!" she heeded the shout and ducked, a slew of killing curses flying so close to her head that her hair was thrown back, as if by a harsh wind. Then Bill and George where at her side, both their faces etched with the grief of losing a brother and the desire to avenge him, their wands spitting lethal curses onto the encroaching attackers. She joined them, shrieking a _sectumsempra_ and sending a sleazy looking walrus of a man to the ground, his body sliced open by an invisible sword.

"Nice one 'Mione," said George and she nodded, pulling her blood matted hair out of her eyes as the three took speed, taking the stairs two at a time as they moved for the Entrance Hall where the fighting was the thickest.

She lost them there, Bill tearing off into the Great Hall when they heard Fleur's piercing shriek, George catching sight of Charlie duelling two on one as he went off to aid him. Hermione on the other hand, caught side of that flash of platinum hair as he darted out the doors. She went after him, her eyes flaring as she heard Kingsley's magically amplified voice:

"RETREAT! GET OUT OF HERE AND LIVE TO FIGHT ANOTHER DAY!"

"Draco," she screamed his name as she saw Katie Bell engage him in a duel, her eyes tight with malice as she contemplated the man who had given her a cursed necklace. A cruciatus cursed missed Draco by an inch as Katie let fly a slew of hexes, Draco shielding himself as best he could.

"Stupefy," she yelled and Katie crumpled, a look of betrayal carved onto her face as Hermione stunned her.

"What the hell was that?" he barked, looking at her through his storm-grey eyes.

"It was me saving your arse," bit back Hermione, a relieved smile threatening to break over her face as she wrapped her arms around him and buried her head in his shoulder.

"The Order won't take kindly to that 'Mione," he said softly, savouring the scent of her hair, laced through with blood and filth but still carrying a trace of her coconut favoured shampoo.

"I don't care," she said bravely, "You need to go . . . The Order will be coming this way any second now."

"I don't want to leave you."

"I don't want you to either . . . but I need to know you're safe and The Order will kill you on sight," she sighed, not wanting to let go of him but breaking away from his embrace all the same. She whirled when she heard a cry of "Traitor," and turning she saw Cormac Mclaggen glaring at the pair of them, shooting a killing curse their way.

"Then run away with me," Draco said, grabbing her hand as he deflected a killing curse with a slash of his wand. Hermione's eyes narrowed at the arrogant bastard as he sent another Avada, this time aimed at Draco. Without a second thought she deflected it and instinctively hit Cormac with an _Avada Kedavra_ of her own.

All around them The Battle of Hogwarts raged, the air thick with screams and curses as people fought and fled and died. She looked at him, and took in the losing battle she was fighting, remembering all those around her who had already died, before looking into his eyes – those eyes that held love and security, that she always felt safe around – and making her decision.

"Let's go," she said, taking off in a sprint with her hand in his.


	3. Chapter 3

**Broken Angel**

**A New Life**

Their new home was small, a two bedroom cottage built upon the shores of the coast, isolated from both the magical and muggle worlds. Neither had deigned to obtain jobs, they no longer needed money of any sort to survive as they were content to live simply with their magic fulfilling their various needs.

Hermione found herself laughing as she watched Draco rise from the sea, saltwater streaming from his platinum hair and over his bare chest as he clutched three large fish in his right hand, his wand in his left. If only the aristocratic Lucius could see his heir now, fishing for their breakfast . . . the horror may well kill the Malfoy patriarch but Hermione found that she could not bring herself to care. They were happy and that was all that truly mattered to either of them.

It wasn't easy, living with but the barest of necessities but she found it soothing. Draco fished the seas whilst she tended a small garden, fulfilling their needs for nutrition. Water was easily available through the use of _Aguamenti_ charms, in fact, all their needs and wants could be fulfilled with but a flick of their wands.

She missed Harry, who had been her brother in all but blood and to a lesser extent she missed Ron, even though his constant advances towards her always left her feeling uncomfortable. It was not his fault, she would reason, but neither was it hers. Her heart had always belonged to Draco, since their first kiss after the Yule Ball. The very thought at being with Ron had left a bitter taste in her mouth, it felt to much like incest – they had grown up together, he was more suited to be her brother than her lover but he had somehow gotten the idea into his head that Hermione would make a suitable bride for him.

He was mistaken, for Hermione loved Draco Malfoy more than she could ever bring herself to express. She had left her entire life behind for him, just as he had left his for her. She did not feel guilty for her actions though, she had given nearly eight years of her life to stopping Voldemort from rising and then, once he had risen, to stop him from winning the war. She deserved some happiness in her life, she deserved to be able to kiss the man she loved without fearing that they would be seen.

"I got breakfast," declared Draco as he came up beside her on the porch, grains of sand clinging to his wet feet as he handed her his bounty. She rolled her eyes but returned his smile, pressing her lips to his cheek before turning to enter their home and start cooking. She had learned her lesson about food preparation very early on in their relationship, Draco had been brought up as a pampered pureblood and could not cook to save his life.

In fact, he had once served her fish that had not been scaled.

An hour later they were sitting cross legged on the beach, wooden plates laden with grilled fish in their laps. It may seem a monotonous diet, but Draco often managed to catch shellfish on his daily fishing trips and there were plenty of wild game in the forest near the beach.

"Do you miss home?" asked Hermione, when she noticed her lover was staring broodingly over the ocean.

"I am home," he replied, slinging an arm around her shoulder and she leaned into him, her head resting in the nape of his neck as they basked in the rays of the morning sun.

(*)(*)(*)

Hermione let out a breathy sigh as she rolled of him, feeling the hot sand burn against her bare skin as she nestled by his side. She wasn't aware whose idea it had been to indulge in some alfresco sex and although she had enjoyed the experience she now yearned for the softness of their bed. He looped an arm around her and held her close, whispering softly into her ears as they lay there, feeling the incoming tide lap playfully at their toes.

"I love you," she said, laying her head on his chest and inhaling the salty musk that was his scent. His arm tightened around her as he pressed his lips to her brow and whispered back:

"I love you too, 'Mione," and Hermione smiled because she knew that he meant it.

She knew that he had never loved anyone save for his mother before her, she knew that his life had been a hard one where he had been raised to be callous and indifference. His suffering had been hers, because in a way he was hers. It may sound wrong that she could contemplate another human being belonging to her but that was the only way she could phrase it. He was her Draco, her platinum dragon.

"Will you marry me?" he asked suddenly and her head whipped up so sharply that she hit his face by accident. His loud groan of pain and the feeling of warm wetness on her head was enough to tell her that she had broken his nose.

She cringed as she set to work fixing his wound with her wand, wondering how she had managed to mess up his proposal in such a unique way. When she was done healing him, he looked at her with a mild sadness in his eyes and said:

"Is that a no, then?" he said, and she felt give a pang because he had asked her to be his wife and she had responded by breaking his face.

"Yes!" she cried, realising her mistake when she saw the crestfallen expression on his face.

"I mean, no," she corrected but now he was looking at her in confusion. She took a deep breath and kissed him on his lips, nipping lightly at his lip before parting her own to allow him entry, just the way she knew he liked it. Their tongues battled for dominance in her mouth and the tide had reached their waists by the time they finally broke apart. Hermione blushed when she felt his body's reaction to her kiss before leaning in and whispering into his ear:

"Of course I'll marry you, Draco Malfoy."


End file.
